Code: Wolf
by RadiantBeam
Summary: A new virus created by XANA turns Jeremie into a wolf! Unfortunately, becoming human again may turn out to be the least of his worries... [JxA][YxU]
1. Leak

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing related to Code: Lyoko.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Code: Wolf**

_Chapter 1: Leak_

At the factory, the computer beeped quietly, minding its own business. XANA had been quiet for some time now, if _seven days _translated into _some time_.

_Humans are such… irritating creatures._

The screen flashed, but no alarm sounded; XANA was not launching an attack, after all. At least, not an attack recognized by the system.

_How they became and remain the masters of this world is a mystery to me. They are creatures that are controlled only by their emotions. Always by their emotions, even that young genius…_

The screen continued to flash and beep, but nothing sounded; it almost seemed as though the machine within was contemplating something, merely entertaining itself while it mulled a bothersome thought over.

_Of them all, he is the only one that I have any respect for… but in the end, he is just a human, like they all are humans._

The scanners whirred softly under XANA's command, but he didn't use them for anything; the doors whooshed open and shut softly. Still the alarm lay silent, for XANA had taken the time to disable it before pondering this rather bothersome question. It was a move he'd perfected to an art during the week.

_Perhaps… I can find a way… to end his time as a human._

If it had been able to, XANA would have smiled. And it would not have been a nice smile.

The super computer had been experimenting now for some time at molding DNA, mainly on rats and other small, disposable animals that wouldn't be missed. But it just so happened that many of these experiments had been successful…

_And what do you know, I have some animal DNA right here too…_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Jeremie sighed, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temples. The clock on his nightstand ticked, quietly taunting him in a way he'd become all too familiar with. He knew it was late, but he paid it no mind. He cracked his knuckles for a moment before returning his attention to his computer screen.

Numbers streamed along the screen, bits of data he knew he'd need later; yawning, he paused to rub his eyes with the back of his hand. Lack of sleep over the past three days or so was starting to finally catch up with him, but sleep didn't come easy.

Purple sparks danced along the wires connecting his computer to the wall, unnoticed by the tired young genius; the sparks flickered and flashed their way along, inching ever higher.

Black smoke swirled from the sparks as they finally faded away, drifting along Jeremie's feet; as though propelled by an invisible gust of wind, the smoke shot up and into Jeremie's system via nose, mouth—whatever opening there was that would let in oxygen.

Jeremie's eyes widened slightly; he choked and sneezed, blinking in confusion, before sneezing again. The pressure of the surprise mini cold caused his glasses to tumble off his nose, making him squeak as his world suddenly went blurry.

_Ack! I need those!_

Grumbling under his breath and rubbing nose (for it still felt itchy, and he _didn't _want to sneeze again), Jeremie slid off the chair to look for his glasses. Unfortunately, with the exception of his little lamp the room was completely dark, and the light didn't go to far anyway. His glasses were a lost cause, at least until morning.

And he did feel rather sleepy all of the sudden…

Well, he'd known the late nights would catch up with him sooner or later.

Deeming his search for his glasses lost until morning, Jeremie stretched before heading to his bed; he could barely keep his eyes open, vision blurry or not. It was really strange, but he couldn't focus on it just yet.

He just needed to sleep. Everything would be better in the morning.

That thought being his last clear one, Jeremie collapsed on his bed and drifted off into Dreamland.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Wind blew through the dark empty campus, stirring tree branches; a few close to windows tapped against them gently, almost like human fingers, but no one stirred. The moon shone clearly in the sky, a few stars splashed alongside it for good measure.

Despite what had just happened, and what was to come, there were no clouds. The sky was clear, the light strong.

As the moon shone overhead, the howl of a lone wolf echoed through the air.

As quickly as it sounded, it faded away into nothingness.

No one stirred.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I really have no idea what the timeline for this story is. oO;;

Considering how my last fic crashed and burned, I was a little edgy about this one; but the plot's more solid and I have a pretty good idea of how I want it to go, so what the heck.

Read and review, please!


	2. Wolf

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing at all.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 2: Wolf_

Sunlight streamed through the windows, golden and clear; Jeremie's alarm clock chirped cheerfully as the flashing numbers onscreen revealed that it was already seven thirty.

Grumbling, Jeremie gave brief thought to shoving his head under his pillow and pretending to be sick; but that would ruin his perfect attendance, and what if XANA attacked? No, he couldn't take a sick day, even if he wanted one. With a sigh, he tossed back his blanket and sat up, lifting a paw to rub his eyes.

… _wait, PAW?_

Jeremie froze at this train of thought; slowly, he lowered the paw and just stared at it.

Yep. It was definitely a paw. Long and furry.

_WHAT!!_

With a gasp he sprang off the bed, stumbled a little at the feeling of having four legs instead of two, and staggered over to the mini mirror Odd had gotten him as a gag gift for his birthday.

What stared back at him was not a young, human boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, but a wolf with light gray fur and dark blue eyes—much darker than when he was human. Jeremie's eyes widened, and his tail lowered.

_This isn't good…_

Frantically he glanced at his door, certain it was closed; then he looked around the room, trying to figure out what to do next. A wolf on campus—oh jeez, they'd shoot him first and ask questions later! He had to avoid being seen at all costs!

When he looked back on it later, jumping out the window was probably not the smartest course of action. But he was desperate, and at this point probably allowed to make a few mistakes.

As soon as he was sure no bones were broken, he raced for the trees.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Jeremie didn't know how far her ran; long wolf legs moved much faster, propelling him forward at almost super speed compared to how fast he'd been as a human. And since speed was all he had right now, he put it to good use, creating as much distance between himself and the school as possible.

He stumbled to a halt, panting, and leaned against a tree, exhausted. _I don't think they'll find me here, _he thought tiredly, bowing his head as his tongue lolled out of his mouth, gulping in large amounts of oxygen as his sides heaved.

The only thing he could think of was that somehow, XANA had made him a wolf. But _how_? A human changing into a wolf was impossible! That stuff only happened in fiction!

Sinking to his haunches, Jeremie lifted his head to look around, ears swiveling forward and back for any sound that indicated someone was close by. He'd just rest a bit, and go back to school around lunch. Then he could find Aelita…

_Wait… isn't Aelita scared of wolves?_

He couldn't remember clearly, but he knew that many of her nightmares prior to the restoration of her memories had involved wolves in some way; so it would be understandable if she'd developed a fear of them. His ears lowered at this new thought, and a soft whimper escaped him.

_Then does that mean… if I went to her… she'd be scared…?_

Jeremie pawed at his muzzle, suddenly feeling miserable. As much as he wanted help, comfort, he didn't want to scare Aelita. He'd rather be alone as a wolf then go back and frighten her. And as it was, he was already far from the school; going back would take to much time and energy.

Suddenly, Jeremie remembered he hadn't had breakfast.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The trash can fell to the ground with a clatter; Jeremie sprang back before stepping forward, lowering his head to sniff.

He couldn't stomach the thought of hunting, though scavenging for food in garbage cans wasn't exactly the height of luxury either; but if he wasn't going to hunt, he'd have to get food some other way, and he figured a wolf trying to beg wouldn't go over to well.

Pawing at some of the garbage he smelled the faint scent of meat, and though his stomach rolled he couldn't ignore the prospect of food.

His jaws closed on the remains of a hamburger, and he gulped it down greedily, holding the bun down with one paw as he tore it to pieces.

So busy was he eating that he didn't hear the sound of human footsteps until he lifted his head—and saw a pair of black boots.

He froze, slowly tilting his head up as his tail began to tuck between his legs.

… _Yumi?_

The Japanese girl gazed down at him in surprise; Jeremie whined softly and inched back a step, glancing around nervously. Was Yumi afraid of wolves? How would she react to him?

"Hey… how'd you get here?"

His ears swiveled forward in curious surprise as Yumi offered him her hand; tentatively he sniffed it before licking at her fingertips, slowly lifting his head to meet her gaze. Surprise was in her eyes, but the smile, uncertain smile on her face was friendly.

_Wait… my eyes!_

With a flash, Jeremie remembered his eyes were blue; wolves usually had yellow or brown eyes. Pups were born with blue eyes, but eventually the color faded to be replaced by the normal color. So even if he looked wolf, his eyes ruined the illusion and gave someone the impression that he was only half wolf or a dog that looked like a wolf.

"You must be pretty hungry to eat out of the trash," Yumi remarked, lifting her hand to scratch behind his ears as she looked at the overturned garbage cans. After a moment, she shifted her bag and pulled a bagel from the pocket of her book bag, tearing off a piece and offering it to Jeremie. "Here. I was gonna eat and run, but you can have some."

Jeremie looked up at her uncertainly, but she continued holding out the morsel; after a moment, he plucked it out of her fingers and swallowed the bread nearly whole. Yumi broke off a few more pieces, which he snapped down hungrily. The Japanese girl finished off what remained before rubbing the wolf boy's head.

"I've gotta get going, I'm gonna be late for school. I'll bring you something later if you're still around. Bye!"

Yumi ran down the sidewalk.

Jeremie tilted his head to the side and sat down, wondering what the heck he was supposed to do now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ahhh, poor Jer. He's so much fun to torture.

Read and review, please!


	3. Rescue

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing at all.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 3: Rescue_

Eventually Jeremie realized that a dog/wolf sitting on the sidewalk was going to look pretty suspicious, so he slowly stood and trotted away; the bagel hadn't been much, but it filled his belly for the time being and put a spring in his step.

He needed to get back to the school.

Sooner or later the others would realize he was missing, and somehow he had to convince them that he was no longer human but a wolf; he paused, looking at his reflection in a rain puddle.

He woofed softly.

… _Yeah, right. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Cutting through the woods was much easier than walking in plain view next to the street, though it was distracting for the boy turned wolf's new senses. His paws tingled from the soft, wet feeling of the grass; he could hear nearly a million different sounds, smell nearly a million different scents. It was dizzying. His new wolf instincts urged him to leave his trail briefly and explore, but his human conscious beat it down viciously.

He sped his gait up from a trot to a lope, muscles rippling easily beneath his fur; despite it all, he had to admit the speed and strength of the wolf was a welcome change from his human body. For the first time in his life, he was fully aware of the physical power he possessed.

Jeremie sprang lightly over a bush, scared a rabbit, and chased it for awhile until he lost interest and resumed his path. He could smell distinct scents that he'd come to associate with the school—sweat, the smell of clothes, different kinds of food. And sounds—laughter, whispers, shouts from Jim.

He was close.

His pace picked up; then he paused, ears swiveling back.

"Why are you being so mean?"

_Milly? Tamiya? What are they doing out here?_

Interest piqued, Jeremie veered off course and crouched beneath some bushes, squirming as the leaves tickled his fur and he resisted the urge to sneeze, curious as to what was going on.

Once he saw, his stomach rolled.

Three or four members of the football team were gathered around the two girls; the boys were much larger than them, and the captain—a boy named Bryan—was obviously not interested in their love of journalism. In fact, he had Milly by the arm.

Jeremie felt the fur along his neck and shoulders begin to bristle.

Normally when the girls tried to interview anyone of sports, Jim or Ulrich was there to make sure it all went smoothly; but out here, there was no one. The group had obviously snuck off for some reason and Milly and Tamiya had followed them.

One of the boys said something, and though he strained his ears he couldn't quite make it out; then Bryan laughed, and pushed Milly to the ground. She cried out and Tamiya surged forward, obviously with the intention of helping her friend. One of the boys lifted his hand.

With a snarl, Jeremie raced from his hiding place.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Tamiya heard the snarl before she saw it; a flash of light gray leaping between her and the boy's hand, teeth grazing his arm. The boy jerked his arm back with a yelp, and the dog leaped back to stand between Tamiya and the boys, snarling.

All she could think was that it was a _big _dog. A single trail of blood dripped from its jaws down to the grass, and its whole body was rigid, fur bristling.

"Where'd you come from?" she whispered weakly; its ear flicked back to acknowledge her but it didn't turn away.

"Hey, Bryan," one of the boys murmured nervously. "Maybe we should get going. This dog is pretty big… it got you pretty good."

They all heard the sound of shouts, of running feet; obviously others had heard the boy's cry and were coming to investigate. He tugged on Bryan's sleeve. "Bryan, _come on._ We'll get in big trouble anyway."

With a scowl, Bryan turned away from the dog and sat down, pulling his legs up to his chest. Slowly, the dog's fur lay flat.

After a moment, it swung around to face Tamiya and Milly.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Jeremie hesitated briefly to lift a paw and wipe at his muzzle, trying to rid himself of the blood; then he whined softly and inched closer to Tamiya and Milly.

_I won't hurt you…_

He took what he hoped was a friendly, submissive form; ears down, tail low. Cautiously, Tamiya reached out and gently patted him on the head.

"Thanks, dog," she said softly. "You should probably get out of here, though. You'll be in big trouble if Jim sees you."

He barked once, wagged his tail, and sprang away, streaking into the bushes just as Jim appeared, a group of kids in his wake.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_What the…?_

Yumi stared for a moment before rubbing her eyes to make sure there was nothing in them. When she was certain her eyes were clear, she stared again at the bushes, barely listening as Jim scolded both the group of boys for being mean and Milly and Tamiya for wandering off.

For just a moment, she could have sworn she'd seen the stray from before running into the trees, away from Milly and Tamiya.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This chapter took so long because I couldn't figure out how to get Jeremie back to the school...

Read and review, please!


	4. Reunion

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Code Lyoko. I wish I did, but I don't.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 4: Reunion_

"It was the weirdest thing, too. I mean… I see the dog at my house, then he's at school."

"Maybe he's in love with you." Odd smirked.

The smile flitted across her face, but Yumi still shook her head, running a hand through her hair. "I doubt it," she murmured. "I mean, it was just some stray dog." She frowned. "Actually, he had more of a wolf look to him."

"It _is _strange." Ulrich slid his hands into his pockets. "First Jeremie's dad calls the school to say he's gone home sick, and then this dog-wolf thing shows up. You think it's XANA?"

"Why would XANA attack with a stray dog that looks like a wolf?"

"Just a thought… hey, Aelita, come on. Don't look so worried. I'm sure Jeremie's fine."

The pink-haired girl jumped, shaken out of her thoughts by Ulrich's voice; looking up, she saw that despite the teasing note in his voice, there was genuine understanding in his eyes. She smiled weakly. "Sorry," she murmured. "I can't help it. Jeremie's never been sick before."

"Can you _feeeeeeellll_ the _looooooooove tooooooonight_… OW! Jeez, Yumi," Odd grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "You didn't have to hit me that hard!"

"Leave her alone, Odd."

"What? It was supposed to be a compliment!"

From his hiding place in the bushes, Jeremie watched his friends goof off, ears flicking back at the news that supposedly he was sick and out of school. Possibly XANA, he decided at last. It shouldn't surprise him that the virus could access his voice program.

_I guess I'll have to change the code when I become human again…_

Swallowing, Jeremie cautiously stepped out from the bushes, barking softly, and shivered as four pairs of eyes focused on him, fighting the urge to tuck his tail between his legs and run.

"I _told _you I saw him!" Yumi stared at the light gray wolf, eyes wide. "It's that dog from before!"

_Ah, Yumi, I'm a wolf, not a dog…_

"Maybe he _is _in love with you…"

Jeremie flattened his ears and growled in protest, tail lashing from side to side. "Guess not," Odd murmured as he padded nervously to the group, his steps light and hesitant as though ready to run. After a moment, he walked to Yumi's backpack and nudged it with his nose, looking at the group uncertainly.

"I think he wants you to open it," Aelita said, and after a moment Yumi leaned down and unzipped her pack, blinking as Jeremie stuck his head into it, then stepped back with a pen in his mouth. He looked up at Yumi expectantly, and fighting awe and confusion, she leaned back in and tore a piece of paper out of her notebook, laying it on the ground.

Woofing softly, Jeremie rested one paw on the paper to keep it from blowing away before shifting his grip on the pen, lowering his head. He narrowed his eyes in concentration as he struggled to write using teeth instead of hands. After a moment, he lifted his head and dropped the pen, licking his lips as Yumi picked up the piece of paper, Odd, Ulrich, and Aelita leaning in close to read it.

The writing was messy and spaced out, but the message was surprisingly clear:

_I'm Jeremie._

"Whoa," Odd breathed. "Smart dog."

Jeremie barked sharply, causing them all to look at him. Aelita bit her lip. "I thought Jeremie was out sick."

"I thought so, too." Ulrich studied the wolf with wary eyes.

Odd rubbed his chin for a moment; then he grinned and snapped his fingers, stepping forward and kneeling in front of Jeremie so the wolf sat down. "I have an idea," he said. "Let's ask him questions!"

"Questions?"

"Yeah, to see if he's really Jeremie. But first… are you a dog, or a wolf?"

Jeremie whined pleadingly, wrapping his tail around his paws; Ulrich frowned. "I don't think he knows how to answer that," he said. "If you're really gonna ask him anything, it has to be a Yes or No question."

"Gotcha! How 'bout this." Odd scratched Jeremie behind the ears. "If you want to answer yes for a question, bark twice, okay? And if it's no, bark once. Got it?"

Two quick barks; Jeremie's eyes gleamed and he sat up a little straighter, obviously pleased with himself as the gang openly gaped. Odd's decision had been partly a joke, but here he was actually answering questions.

"Okay. First question." Yumi sat next to Odd. "Are you a dog?"

One bark.

"So you're a wolf."

Two barks.

"Was it XANA?" Aelita sat on Odd's other side.

Two barks.

Ulrich massaged his temples, sitting next to Yumi. "This is so weird," he muttered. "Jeremie got turned into a wolf by XANA?"

"That's what he says."

"We don't know if it's Jeremie yet."

"What proof do you--?"

Odd grinned and leaned closer to Jeremie, eyes sparkling. "Okay, I just wanna ask you some things Jeremie would definitely know. That okay?"

Two barks.

"Good. So… does Ulrich love… Emily?"

One bark.

"Does Ulrich love… Sissi?"

One sharp bark. Odd chuckled.

"Yeah, I feel the same way. Does Ulrich love… Yumi?"

Two barks.

Ulrich and Yumi turned bright red. "Odd!" Ulrich sputtered, whacking his friend. "What the heck was that for, huh?"

"Oh come on." Odd smirked. "Even Jeremie should know you two are crazy about each other."

Unable to resist, Aelita giggled and Jeremie wagged his tail, ears swiveling forward. Still grinning, Odd turned back to him. "Next question. Is the last name Aelita uses in school… Hopper?"

One bark.

"Is it… Stern?"

One bark.

"Is it… Stones?"

Two barks.

"Oh, you're good. Is my dog named… Lime?"

One bark.

"Is he named… Lemon?"

One bark.

"Is he named… Kiwi?"

Two barks.

Ulrich raised a brow. "I'm beginning to think this is Jeremie," he murmured, blush still fading. Still blushing fiercely, Yumi nodded in agreement, Aelita mirroring her. Ulrich cleared his throat. "Okay, Odd, enough questions. It's Jeremie."

"Wait, wait. Just one more. Please?"

"Fine…"

Odd grinned before turning back to Jeremie. "One more question, you hear that?"

Two barks.

"Alright, and I'm asking you this to be totally sure. If you're Jeremie, are you in love with… Sam?"

One bark.

"Are you in love with… Milly?"

One bark.

"Are you in love with… Aelita?"

Two barks, without any hesitation whatsoever.

Now Aelita blushed, deeply, as Jeremie swung his head around and gazed at her. Odd grinned and rested his chin in the palm of his hand.

"Yup," he said. "That's definitely Einstein."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm sorry. I'm a diehard J/A fan through and through.

Read and review, please!


	5. XANA

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Code Lyoko.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 5: XANA_

"So… should we head for the factory?"

Yumi asked the question, mainly at Ulrich and Odd; Aelita sat on the bench, rubbing Jeremie's neck as the light gray wolf leaned against her legs, both boys on either side of her. Ulrich frowned.

"I don't know… we could try it, but…"

"What but?" Odd grinned, leaning back. "Tomorrow's Sunday. Why should we not go?"

"We really can go tonight," Aelita added. "The sooner we change Jeremie back, the better, I think."

Jeremie barked in agreement, wagging his tail.

Ulrich looked at the small group for a moment; finally, he held up both hands in surrender, smirking.

"Okay, fine. Let's go. Jeremie, don't run. You'd lose us in a second."

Everyone laughed as Jeremie wagged his tail.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Static electricity arched along the wires strung over the road, dark purple and flashing. After a moment, the static gathered itself and manifested a smoke form, drifting into the deserted area of the local woods. For a moment it drifted there as though carried by the wind.

Then, slowly, the smoke began to take solid form.

The paws formed first—black, with long, pointed claws that dug into the soft ground beneath. Moving up came the legs, lean and muscular, and then the torso took shape, followed by the neck, the head, and the ears. The XANA symbol gleamed in a pair of golden eyes.

The large, newly formed black wolf stretched leisurely, extending its claws so they raked through the grass and baring sharp white teeth. Muscles rippled beneath sleek fur as the creature shook itself and snorted.

XANA had taken an earthbound form. And it wasn't human for a reason.

Already relishing the thought of digging its claws into light gray fur and imaging the scent of blood, the XANA wolf loped easily into the trees.

The scent of four young humans, and the wolf accompanying them, was to easy to detect.

Like a dark shadow, the wolf sped after them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm sorry. I know this chapter is short as hell, but this sets everything up for the next chapter, which I swear will be longer.

Read and review, please!


	6. Attack

_Disclaimer: _Don't own.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 6: Attack_

The first thing Jeremie became aware of as his paws met cement instead of grass was the fact that they were being followed, as alerted by his ears as they swiveled back.

The second thing he became aware of as he paused, falling behind his friends as they raced across that bridge was the fact that whoever was following them wasn't human, as alerted by his nose.

No. Scent—and sound—told him the intruder wasn't human.

"Jeremie?"

He glanced up as Aelita called him, and he saw that they were all looking at him, confused by his stop. He woofed softly before looking back.

_Something… doesn't feel right…_

His ears slowly flattened as the fur along his back and shoulders began to bristle.

_Whoever's following us… even if they aren't humans…_

His lips curled back to reveal bared teeth, and a low growl rumbled from his throat.

… _They definitely aren't normal._

And then he saw it.

Even as a wolf, with slightly enhanced sight, Jeremie just saw a blur out of the corner of his eye—a racing shadow, something fast and dark with four legs that came streaking out of the trees, something large and moving much faster than normal but with an unmistakably canine shape.

"Jeremie?"

And it was heading, without mistake, for his friends.

Jeremie didn't think. For the first time in his life, he had no plan as the dark, large wolf bore down on his friends, on Aelita, who stood in front, between Ulrich, Odd, Yumi, and the wolf.

Jeremie didn't think. He just reacted.

He sprang.

And blood sprayed into the air as the sound of snapping bones filled the silence.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

With a sharp cry, Aelita stumbled back, both hands lifted to protect her face and her eyes closed. Slowly, as she realized she hadn't been bitten or scratched, she slowly opened her eyes.

And a choked sob escaped her.

Jeremie crouched between her and the wolf, his eyes glazed over with pain and his whole body trembling. Blood dripped from his shoulder to the ground below, but he bared his teeth and dug his claws into the ground.

And there was no mistaking the XANA symbol that gleamed in the black wolf's golden eyes.

"Einstein," Odd whispered.

The black wolf's eyes narrowed coldly; then, an almost human grin seemed to curve its lips, and it shifted its massive body. Jeremie winced, and his ears flattened against his skull.

The next instant another crack split the air as the wolf dug his teeth deep into Jeremie's shoulder and reared back, tossing the light gray wolf roughly behind him. There was a dull thud as the smaller wolf tumbled along the ground, coming to rest on his side. A trail of blood showed the fall he had taken.

The black XANA wolf studied the trail of blood briefly, lowering its head to catch a whiff; then a low grumbling chuckle escaped its throat, and it swung around to face the gang. Instinctively Odd and Ulrich moved between the wolf and the girls, falling back into fighting stances—but neither could stop their eyes from darting to the light gray figure that lay motionless.

"How good are our chances?" Ulrich spoke between gritted teeth.

"Against a normal, average, every-day wolf? Decent. Against a XANA-possessed super wolf? Not so decent."

"… I was afraid of that."

The wolf slowly lifted its tail, letting it swish almost contemplatively. It cocked its head slightly to one side and its ears swiveled forward as its eyes gleamed.

It almost seemed as if XANA was laughing at them.

Ulrich clenched his teeth and Odd narrowed his eyes. The black wolf took a single step.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

From where he lay, Jeremie was dimly aware of a burning pain in his shoulder, and the wetness of blood on his fur. He wondered numbly if it had broken—he'd heard bones snap when XANA had dug its teeth in.

Slowly, he titled his head, trying to get a better look at what was going on behind him without moving.

He had to get up.

For a moment he lay still, just a moment; then, slowly, he narrowed his eyes and rested one paw on the ground, bracing himself. A tremor ran through his body and his shoulder throbbed, but he ignored it and placed his other paw down; then, trembling, he pulled himself up by his front legs.

He staggered and weaved for a moment, and blood ran down his leg to the ground below; he shook his head to clear the haze that was gathering in his eyes

Jeremie looked up. His muscles tensed.

A sharp bark escaped him.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Everything seemed to freeze. Even the XANA wolf stiffened, then slowly looked back.

Jeremie was standing. Just barely, and his whole body was trembling as blood ran through his fur and down his leg, forming a puddle on the ground, slightly favoring a paw; but he was standing, his teeth bared in a snarl and his fur bristling.

And he was ready to fight.

As XANA swung around completely to face him, the light gray wolf glanced at his friends.

"Jeremie?" Aelita's voice was weak, uncertain.

He woofed softly, then faced XANA again.

They understood. Odd and Ulrich relaxed their stances as Yumi touched Aelita's arm, helping her up. "Come on," she whispered to the pink haired girl. "We have to go."

"But Jeremie—"

"He wants us to go. Come on. He's the only one who can…"

The words caught in Yumi's throat as Aelita swung wide, terrified green eyes on her—suddenly, it was obvious that she understood what Jeremie was going to do.

"No," she whispered.

"Come on!" Odd raced past her. "Move it or lose it!"

With one last, anguished look at Jeremie, Aelita followed her friends.

The two wolves were left alone.

As the gang ran into the elevator, a battle howl pierced the darkening sky.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This chapter... did not want to cooperate...

Was I the only one amused by Aelita's sly look at Jeremie at the end of _The Lake_? I snickered when she did that.

Read and review, please!


	7. Battle

_Disclaimer: _No owny Code Lyoko.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 7: Battle_

"This isn't going to be easy." Aelita punched in the code and tried to keep her mind off the light gray wolf that they'd left behind. "I have the tower's coordinates, but Jeremie isn't going to be there to tell us when monsters are coming or how many life points we have left."

Behind her, Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi exchanged quiet looks. They all got it. No one was watching their backs this time. Right now they were on their own.

And there was no ignoring the time limit. With each minute they spent on Lyoko, more and more of Jeremie's blood would be spilled to keep the XANA wolf at bay.

"The countdown's started." Aelita's voice was unusually soft. "We have to get into the scanners now."

_And then another kind of countdown begins._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

A snarl, a sharp bark; the two wolves broke apart, panting. Jeremie's legs trembled with the effort of keeping his slashed and bloody body up, but he refused to back down. Blood splattered the concrete ground as the wolves faced off.

Not to say that XANA was getting off light. He was just as torn and bloody as Jeremie. A long, blood gash slashed along one eye, sealing it shut. But XANA was larger, stronger, faster.

And so much blood had been spilled in only a few short minutes of combat.

Jeremie bared his teeth and spat, causing blood to speckle the ground as it dripped from his mouth. A low growl rumbled from his throat and he struggled to stand upright.

Blood. It was everywhere, covering everything in red everywhere he looked. The light gray wolf was the only thing standing between XANA and the entrance to the factory, and he could barely stand on his own paws.

But no way was he falling. No way in hell.

XANA's lips curled back in a snarl. The fur along Jeremie's back and neck bristled.

Once more the two sprang. Teeth sank into flesh, claws ripped through fur, and blood sprayed.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

A loud thud and a yelp from Odd confirmed that all of them had made it successfully to Lyoko's ice sector, a little shocked by the fall but otherwise unharmed.

They'd gotten lucky, at one point. The tower coordinates had been correct, and they'd landed practically in front of it. All they had to do to get to it at this point was sprint, since Jeremie was… occupied and couldn't create their vehicles for them at this point. It was only a short distance really.

But then, there was the lack of luck. Because XANA must have known he'd be detracted at one point, and had sent three Blocks to keep the group distracted. Not a major threat in any way, but they'd take time to defeat.

Biting her lip, cursing their double-edged luck, Aelita charged up her hands and ran forward, flanked by Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi.

It wouldn't be a hard battle. Not at all.

But it would take time. And time was the one thing they didn't have enough of.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

A sharp crack split the air and Jeremie tumbled along the ground, skidding like a bag of bricks. Blood covered the place he had fallen, and he lay motionless for a moment. With a low snarl, staggering a little, the XANA wolf limped to the entrance.

Jeremie lurched to his paws and raced to stand between the entrance and the large black wolf, his whole body trembling with the effort and covered in blood. The two wolves snarled at each other and sprang again.

Blurs of black and gray shot along the area, blood speckled the ground and flew into the air. Jeremie saw his chance and sprang, digging his teeth into the back of XANA's neck, burying his claws into the larger wolf's fur.

That did it; XANA let out a howl of fury and lunged for the beams supporting the factory, and twisting its massive body around it slammed Jeremie relentlessly against the stone and metal. Despite the flash of pain, the crushing weight, the small light gray wolf held on tightly, digging his teeth even more deeply into XANA's neck and tasting blood in his mouth.

With a snarl XANA lunged forward, twisting its body and rolling; the crushing weight of the large wolf on top and the ground below was too much, and Jeremie lost his grip. The light gray wolf started to stagger to his feet.

But then XANA was there, racing past Jeremie as his teeth ripped along the other wolf's hip, down to his stomach; the momentum of the attack threw the lighter wolf into the air, and he hit the ground with a dull thud, blood pooling beneath his body.

After a moment, he gritted his teeth and lurched forward; his back legs had gone frighteningly numb, and all he could do was rest his full weight of his front paws and try to pull himself up.

The movement came too late; a massive black paw crushed down onto his throat, pinning him there. Jeremie gagged and choked, and XANA lowered its head to his exposed throat to finish the job.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"That's the last one, Princess!" Odd lowered his arm, shaking his paw to loosen it. "Now get to that tower, and fast!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Aelita sprinted past him.

The Blocks had been easy to take out, only minor annoyances on their own. Her mind still on the boy-turned-wolf they'd left behind, Aelita burst into the tower and closed her eyes as the familiar white glow surrounded her. She felt her feet lift off the ground, felt herself flying through the air before she reached the platform.

She landed lightly and the platform came to life, the way it always did. With slightly shaking hands, Aelita touched her fingers to the screen.

_Please… just don't let me be too late._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Just as Jeremie felt XANA's teeth pierce his flesh, the large black wolf disintegrated. The paw holding him down was suddenly gone, and the light gray wolf dragged in a long, ragged breath.

After a moment, he attempted once more to rise, digging his claws into the ground and straining his front legs for all his worth. He trembled, staggered, and collapsed once more, and the movement caused more blood to spill beneath the pool already darkening his fur.

And he just lay there.

He no longer had the strength—or the will—to try and rise.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

... I suck at writing battle scenes.

Read and review, please!


	8. Will

_Disclaimer: _Me no own Code Lyoko.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 8: Will_

Jeremie didn't know how long he just laid there, eyes closed and breathing raggedly. At some point the steady stream of blood had slowed and was beginning to dry along his fur and the concrete ground. He still couldn't feel his back legs, and the rest of his body was going blissfully numb.

The loss of feeling was blissful, almost enough to make the light gray wolf forget what it meant. His muscles were becoming heavy and sluggish, an effect of blood loss. If he continued to lay here, unmoving, he'd slip quietly into death.

"_Jeremie."_

The voice sounded softly in his mind, and his ear twitched.

"_Hey, Einstein, mind helping me out with this homework? You know I'm already failing class! I'm dead if I don't get this done!"_

Another voice, and a low groan escaped him. Where were the voices coming from? He knew them all to well. Why were they bothering him? Couldn't they tell he just wanted to rest? They were keeping him awake, even though his eyes were still closed.

"_Jeremie, do you mind if Hiroki takes a look at your notes? He's struggling with his project and I think you'd really help him out…"_

His ear flicked again, then both ears slowly flattened. His mind was ringing, the voices echoing throughout his whole system.

"_Hey, Jeremie! Come and shoot some balls with me. It'll be fun, I promise!"_

Slowly, his eyes opened.

"_Jeremie."_

"_Jeremie…"_

"_Hey, Einstein!"_

"_Jeremie?"_

With a low growl, he rolled over and dug his claws into the ground, pulling his upper torso off the ground. He bared his teeth and muscles rippled beneath his fur as his shoulders strained, giving Herculean effort to try and rise with the loss of his back legs.

He slipped and staggered, almost falling again, but with a snarl he surged forward, bowing his head and straining his whole body so he trembled. Pain flashed and danced through his abused body, but he ignored it.

It was no use. No matter how he tried, his back legs refused to respond to his commands. From the waist down, he felt absolutely nothing. The reason, he knew, was the jagged, slashing wound that ripped from his hip down to his stomach. He was shaking just with the effort of using his front paws.

Narrowing his eyes, trying his best to block out the pain, Jeremie lifted one paw and cautiously set it down, dragging his back legs behind him. Noticing that this dragged him a little further, he repeated the action. Blood trailed behind him, but he determinedly plunged on.

But the small movement was already exhausting him. At this rate, he'd never reach the others.

"Jeremie!"

For a moment Jeremie thought the voices of his friends were in his mind again, but when he lifted his head he saw them all standing there. His eyes widened and he straightened slightly, whining softly as his body trembled.

_Sorry, guys…_

He began to fall.

"Shoot! Someone catch him, he's goin' down!!"

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Looking back, Aelita could never recall how she managed to move so quickly; one moment she was standing between Odd and Yumi, the next she'd somehow left them and caught Jeremie as he fell, cradling his limp, bloodstained head in her lap. "Jeremie," she whispered hoarsely, tears welling in her eyes. She ran shaking fingers through his fur, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"My God." Ulrich's voice was weak as he slowly walked to Aelita's side. "It's a bloodbath out here." He ran a hand through his hair, biting his lip. Yumi brought a hand to her mouth and bit down on it to keep from crying out, or worse yet, getting sick.

Timidly Odd made his way to Aelita's other side, kneeling. "Einstein," he murmured, and gently scratched the light gray wolf behind the ears. His voice cracked, shook. "You really are a fighter, aren't ya?"

Jeremie woofed tiredly.

"I don't get it." Ulrich slid an arm around Yumi's shoulder, holding her close as she began to shake, spooked by the amount of blood. "Why is Jeremie still a wolf? Shouldn't it have worn off when we deactivated the tower?"

"No." Aelita continued stroking Jeremie. "I think… it's more complicated than that. We have to get him to a scanner, try removing the wolf DNA from him."

Jeremie shifted his head slightly in Aelita's lap, sighing softly. He could hear his friends talking and could understand what they were saying, but his mind was beginning to drift and the feeling was being to fade from his body again. Laying there in Aelita's lap, her fingers running through his fur, he felt warm and sleepy. Slowly, his eyes began to flutter shut again.

"Hey… hey! Stay awake, Einstein!" Odd whacked him lightly over his ear, causing him to jerk and growl in protest, opening his eyes. "No sleeping, got it? You'll get to sleep soon, but not yet!"

"He'll never make it." Yumi spoke now, lowering her sore hand from her mouth and leaning against Ulrich, trying to block out the sight and scent of blood. "He's lost too much blood. We all saw it, he could barely stand." Her voice trembled slightly, steadied. "We have to carry him, I think."

For a long moment Aelita gazed up at the Japanese girl; then she nodded. "Yeah. You're probably right," she murmured, then leaned over Jeremie, speaking softly into his ear. He shifted his head again and looked up at her.

"Jeremie, listen to me. You have to… you have to try to stand a little bit again, just a little, so Ulrich and Yumi and Odd and I can hold you, okay? We'll carry you to the scanners, but… you need to get up."

For a long heartbeat Jeremie just gazed up at her, and for a moment Aelita feared the will had drained out of him completely and he no longer wished to try and stand; then he narrowed his eyes and slowly rolled from his side to his stomach, digging his front paws once again into the ground. His eyes met hers for a split second.

_I can only do this for a little bit, _the blue depths seemed to say, _and I'm sorry I can't do anymore._

"It's all right," she assured him, resting her hand on his head. "Do the best you can."

The best was what he could give; once more his body contracted and he surged forward, dragging his upper torso off the ground and bracing against his front legs as his hind legs flopped limply behind him. Seeing his show of strength for what it was, the gang swooped in; Odd and Ulrich wrapped their arms tightly around his body, trying to be gentle even though he still whimpered. Yumi moved to lift his back legs and tail, and Aelita cradled his head in her arms.

"Gotcha, Einstein," Odd assured the light gray wolf, shifting his grip a little and ignoring the blood that seeped into the sleeves of his shirt. "Don't worry, you'll be human again in no time."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Droplets of blood gave evidence of the journey they had carrying their transformed friend from the bridge down to the scanners, setting him inside as gently as they could manage. As the doors whooshed shut, the wolf gave them one last look with tired blue eyes before resting his head on his paws, closing his eyes and releasing a deep sigh.

"You sure this will work?" Yumi asked nervously as Aelita sat at the super computer, typing in the code to start the separation of DNA.

"It worked with Odd, didn't it?" Aelita chewed her bottom lip. "Jeremie should be no different."

Yumi didn't look appeased, but Ulrich took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and she settled. Odd fidgeted from foot to foot, rubbing his arms as though to ward off a chill. Aelita punched in the last key and leaned back in the chair, running a hand through her hair. "That should do it," she said. "Now we just wait and see what happens."

So they waited.

There was silence, except for the occasional click or beep as the computer carried out the code's commands. Anyone looking at Aelita from the back would have assumed she was perfectly calm about the whole thing, but her fingers dug tightly into the arms of the chair to keep from bolting down to the scanner room and checking Jeremie.

A red warning sign flashed on the screen; a single, screeching beep filled the room.

"Aelita! What's happening?!"

With wide eyes the pink-haired girl leaned forward, typing in a few key words to see what the heck was going on; but the sign never went away, instead changing from red to green, and the screeching beep soothed to a soft hum.

And then, as quickly as it appeared, the sign vanished without a trace.

"What… the… heck…?"

"Aelita…?"

"Go to the scanner room." She bolted past them, heading for the elevator. "Quickly!"

They followed.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When they finally reached it, the room was already filled with smoke, indicating Jeremie had returned from his session with the DNA program, but the smoke was too thick for them to see anything clearly; all they saw was a limp form crumbled on the floor.

"Jeremie..?"

Timidly, Aelita made her way into the room, narrowing her eyes to see better. "Jeremie?" she repeated softly, and knelt next to the still form.

A soft, weak cough echoed through the room; slowly, Jeremie opened his eyes. "Aelita?" His voice was ragged, hoarse, as though he hadn't used it in awhile. He slowly sat up on his elbows, smiling at her weakly. "Hey."

He was human again.

And he was completely healed.

With a cry, Aelita hugged him tightly; Jeremie stiffened in shock, but slowly relaxed. Blushing deeply, he sat up a little straighter and wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her close as his other hand rested on the back of her neck.

"Hey, Einstein." Odd grinned, sliding his hands into his pockets as Yumi and Ulrich flew at the blonde genius. "Good to see ya back."

He grinned. "Good to be back."

Then Odd hugged him, too.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One more chapter left, folks.

Read and review, please!


	9. After

_Disclaimer: _No own Code: Lyoko.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Chapter 9: After_

Jeremie slowly retrieved his glasses from under the desk, wincing; he paused and waited for the ache to fade before sitting up, leaning back in his chair and blowing out a long breath as he put his glasses back on.

His time in the scanner had rid him of the wolf DNA and completely healed his wounds. It had _not_, however, cleansed him completely of pain caused by said wounds. Chances were that he'd be a little slow for a few days, but he was still alive.

_And that counts for something, definitely._

He heard the door creak and swung around, masking his pain with a smile. "Hello?"

"Hey, Einstein." Odd shot into the room like a bullet, bouncing around Jeremie like a terrier with a chew toy. "Ya think you can let me copy your notes? Please? We have a test tomorrow and I'm totally doomed if I fail. Again."

"Yeah, hold on…"

Turning around again, Jeremie leaned down, reaching for his folder; and froze, gritting his teeth as pain sang through his side and stomach like a melody. "Ow," he managed weakly.

"Jeremie?"

"I'm okay." Deftly he retrieved the folder and handed it to Odd. "There you are."

"Thanks, you're a pal. I'm going to bug Ulrich now for the English homework. See ya tomorrow!"

And with that, Odd was gone. Jeremie couldn't help the smile that curved his lips. He had forgotten how much of a whirlwind Odd could be at times. He slumped back into his chair, deciding it would be best not to move around for awhile. Despite the healing he was still in a great deal of pain, though he'd managed to keep it successfully hidden from his friends.

He still felt awkward and clumsy in his normal human body. He'd grown so accustomed to his wolf form in such a short amount of time, the speed and power even when ripped to bloody shreds. His human self felt… weak in comparison.

And the pain was enough to kill someone. But Jeremie was an expert at blocking it out.

Almost, as a sharp burn coursed through him again as he reached for a pencil.

_Ow. Ow, ow, ow…_

"Jeremie?"

Aelita's voice broke his concentration, and he yelped and nearly fell out of the chair, bracing his hands against and cursing mentally as pain ripped mercilessly through his battered system. "Hey, Aelita," he managed, turning back around to face her.

The pink-haired girl managed to smile, though she could see the pain in his eyes. She had always been able to pick up on vibes the others sometimes missed. "Hi. I was just looking at the security footage at the factory."

"And?"

"I saw you fighting XANA."

Jeremie's stomach dropped. "Ah." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, wincing again. "And…?"

"You're still in pain, aren't you? I can see it in your eyes."

_Damn._

His shoulders slumped a little; he didn't have the heart to fight her, of all people. He never had been able to, even before he'd become a wolf. That was probably something that was never going to change, no matter what he went through. "Yeah," he muttered. "But it's not so bad once you ignore it."

_Liar._

"You should probably get some sleep," Aelita murmured, noting his bed was still made. "I read somewhere that sleeping helps the pain ease a little."

"Your body heals while you're asleep, yeah. But I don't have time…"

Whatever excuse he'd planned flew right out the window as Aelita took his hand and gently pulled him out of the chair; he winced and staggered unsteadily on still wobbly legs, but followed her and lay on the bed, more to please her than anything. Once she left, he'd just get back up…

… And apparently she could read his mind, because she curled up next to him. Jeremie's heart flew into his throat. "Aelita?"

"Yes, Jeremie?"

"Why are you…? I mean, shouldn't you…?"

"Jeremie." Aelita propped up on her elbow, gently kissing his cheek. "Go to sleep. I'll stay with you so you won't be in so much pain."

"Uh… okay." His cheeks heated. "Thanks."

Smiling, Aelita snuggled against Jeremie again, closing her eyes. Slowly, despite his pain, Jeremie rolled over and gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and with a soft sigh she rested her head beneath his.

After a moment, he slowly closed his eyes and joined Aelita in sleep.

Oddly enough, he wasn't in as much pain anymore, either.

**The End**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Some nice, old-fashioned fluff after all the blood and gore. If these two don't admit their feelings before the show ends, I'll scream.

Read and review, one last time! And thank you all for reading this far, you're all awesome.


End file.
